Posts

Okay, we are finally down to the near end of the year 2010. Everybody seems excited waiting for the ‘count down’. Within matter of minutes, and seconds, the New Year 2011 will unfurl right in front of our eyes. It is kind of weird to see other part (other half?) of the World already in 201l while rest half still in 2010, and eagerly waiting for 2011 to officially set its foot. Traditionally, people make various resolutions for the year; which they would strive to fulfill in the year before they either end up disappointing themselves for failing to live up and yet make another resolutions for the following year. Wishing for good health, to receiving a promotion or raise, to promising to quit smoking, to finding a lasting relationship, to cutting down the weight, so and so forth, the resolutions are varied. Some truly work for it, and live up to their promises. But mostly, they are forgotten midway through the year. It shouldn’t come as surprise to anyone, though. It is a human tendency!…

Greetings to all my dear friends! By this time, I am pretty sure, everybody has something to thank for. It is very obvious not everybody might have had a good year; some might have lost the loved ones, while some might have failed to make a good living. But no matter how rough or bad the Year 2010 might have been, we know nothing remains for eternity, even the Year 2010 is on the verge of leaving us soon. For ones who had terrific year, you may feel emotional seeing years coming to an end. Its okay, that’s the part of life. But for some who might have had a tough year, it is only understandable that you would be waiting to get it over, and look forward to the New Year. Anyway, lets look back to the bygone days, weeks, and months and feel proud that we have been able to survive the year 2010. That in itself lies a purpose for us to be thankful for. However, we are not to dwell with the past; marveling the goods or lamenting for the bad. In fact we are to focus more on the coming future.…

I woke up late today- at 11: 30 AM. I was okay, then. A few hours later, though, I began to feel something strange. I was feeling anxious, restless, dull, and many more. I just hate these creepy feelings! My heartbeat seemed to race abnormally high that left me in a complete scare. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but I was very certain I was still breathing-alive. So I recomposed myself, monitored my breath, and lay back -hoping to calm myself. Just on time, quite coincidentally, I remember what I read in Mingyur Rinpoche’s book of “Joyful Wisdom” about tackling the stress, and the so called abnormal feelings. His Eminence provides the ways and methods to approach the stress, and help tackle it. Loosely paraphrasing, he advises to confront the stress directly rather than shying away and avoiding it for it will become worse. Digging deeper, and figuring out the source(s) of stress is what one of the authors of New York Times Bestseller the “Joy Of Living” is talking about and mea…

Today is Saturday, the 25 th of December. Which means, of course, the Christmas Day. It is “considered” as the birthday of Jesus Christ.I say “considered” because according to “The History of Christmas”, an online organizational source, the actual date was never known! It was in 4th century that “the early Church Fathers in the 4th century fixed the day around the old Roman Saturnalia festival (17 - 21 December), a traditional pagan festivity”. But it was at the later period decided December 25th as the official day. On this festive day, everybody looks forward to varied surprising presents supposedly “shopped and hidden” for them by Santa Claus. I can totally see what the day means to American people around here. I personally have come to know about this widely celebrated Day not very long ago. It was in 2007, as I came to the US, and got to celebrate the first ever Christmas Day with my ex-host family Kathleen Smith, and Jeff. The colorful lights hung all over the houses, and beautif…

I don’t know if the media coverage has improved over the years in Bhutan, or cases of accidents have actually risen, but one thing is very clear-the case of accidents are reported almost everyday. This is very panicking and nerve racking! All of a sudden, Bhutan has become a sorrowful nation. As a kid, I remember hearing the news of accidents of such magnitude through radio only once in a while. Of course, most might have gone unreported, no doubt, but I wonder if nation has suffered such a loss then. The devastating fire accident that gutted down the entire Chamkhar town, several road accidents, the recent tragic flight accident that killed 18 Bhutanese people in Nepal, and yet the very recent bus accident below Dochula have added wounds to the already panicked nation. While the flight accidents are the case of rarity, what concern me most are the road accidents, which have seriously become the issue in Bhutan. I don’t know if we should blame the geographic unfriendliness (being a Hi…

With the Semester now over, the chilly winter campus of FIT (Florida Institute of Technology) wears a deserted look; with a fewer number of cars scattered over the parking lots, and fewer number of people hitting the gym. It is no surprise as everybody goes home to spend the Christmas with their family members. Only those who are far away from home, obviously those international students, are the ones who remain in the city of Melbourne. I am one of them. As the semester gears to an end, the most typical talk around would be about plans for the break. It is not a surprising thing to bump into someone asking you "So, whats your plan for the christmas?", on a day to day basis. Of course, my answer is always "Nothing really. I will be around here". This year's Christmas isn't any different, either. I am here, and will be here. No matter how bored you get, and lonely you feel, you are left with no option. I certainly feel sad having to spend whole winter vacat…

Sometimes, I tend to be very childish-a simple nice thing can make me so happy, and again a very silly bad thing can make be down! I won't say I live without a long term 'big' plan for my life, but I usually settle for a simpler plan. I strive for the best, try my heart out, but I certainly know how to accept the failure, no matter how unpleasant it is. University life isn't the bed of roses, and it comes with full of choices-either to make it work out good for you, or opt for something which may not be always good for you. You learn to take decisions of your own, and stand on your own feet. "University life is the most crucial part and the fastest learning period in your life..." says a professor of Mathematics, Dr. Tenali, answering to students' enquiries of life being so stressful. You grow both physically, and intellectually within four years. You come in as someone, and go away with entirely different person, an officially professional. Peer pressure…

This Fall semester has been very crucial one, not that others were not, and of course crucial-ness implies a greater challenge. This was the first semester of my senior year, and the courses were just as demanding. All six courses (three Maths, one Humanities, one Management, and one Environment) were very challenging, but I can't deny that they were all intectually stimulating. I had a very slow start, which I soon regreted for I struggled to catch up with the progress at the end. Somehow, though, I could manage to pull on track before it was too late, except the Numerical Analysis course, which I blew off completely! Not that I didn't try, but it just didn't work the way I initially thought. Normally, I consider first mid-term exams (yeah it sounds weird, but here they have a system whereby several 'mid-terms' are conducted before the final exams) as a kind of test drive as to see how professors assess our understanding on the material covered in the class. So th…